As August heats things heat up, there’s still time to “harvest” fun STEM facts! Keep reading to find out more!
The Perseid Meteor Shower
Check out the Perseid Meteor shower – its name originates from Greek mythology and sons of Perseus. Peaking August 11–13, the Perseids are forecasted to yield about 100 meteors per hour, establishing it as a reliable annual meteor event. Plus, this year we anticipate less bright moonlight to interfere with visibility.
Link to Article: space.com/perseid-meteor-shower-2024-peak
Coming Together for STEM-Aviation Day
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Every year on August 19th, pilots, flight attendants, aircraft mechanics, and other aviation industry professionals come together to commemorate National Aviation Day. Initiated by former President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, this day celebrates the progress and innovations in aviation.
Link to Article: sheffield.com/articles/national-aviation-day-august-19th
Harvesting STEM Activity
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August is a month of harvest and gatherings, making it an ideal time to share the growing cycle and harvesting process with kids. Try this -K kids! Gather brown play dough, yellow/green dough for wheat stalks, corn kernels, small baskets, a small toy tractor, and a wagon. Have your future farmers flatten the play dough to simulate a field. Use the toy tractor to make wheel prints on the play dough, then have them “plant” and “harvest” the different crops with other colored dough as you describe what happens next. Learning about agriculture and its processes are STEM topics we can really harvest hands-on fun from!
Link to Article: kidssoup.com/activity
Our Awesome Tech Girls Event!
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Shared Science hosted its annual Tech Girls Workshop July 29th thru August 2nd. Our teen participants explored tech topics like measurement, psychology, artificial intelligence, problem solving, and climate change. Hands-on STEM activities included how to use a microscope and apply forensic science, how to code for a robot, how to create an electrical circuit, how to create optical illusions, and how to measure and create drawings to scale. Guest speakers described their career paths and passions for astrophysics, robotics, and mortuary science, inspiring new possibilities for students. We are thankful for the sponsorship support from the Port of Long Beach as well as our guest speakers and instructors who made this year’s program possible. Encouraging young girls to pursue STEM is our passion, and we are eagerly looking forward to next year’s event!